Shikrot Mpwi – Sunday Synopsis
Third Sunday of Easter, Year B – April 14, 2024.
Readings: Acts 3:13-15,17-19; Ps 4:2,4,7,9; 1 John 2:1-5; Gospel – Luke 24:35-48.
In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, the early Christians were charged by St. Peter to repent and turn to God to have their sins forgiven. In the second reading, St. John charges us to stop sinning and repent. The gospel of Luke records the appearance of Jesus to the Apostles on their way to Emmaus. It tells how they recognised him at the breaking of the bread and how he appeared to the collage of Apostles with the greeting “Peace be with you.” It challenges us to embrace total repentance.
Introduction
Beloved in Christ, our liturgy calls us to reflect on repentance as a recipe for salvation. It challenges us to demonstrate the demands of the Easter Season in terms of living out the values of the season and propagating the gospel to the ends of the earth.
Background and summary of the readings
In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 3:13-15,17-19), the early Christians were charged by St. Peter to repent and turn to God to have their sins forgiven. What is more, the Apostle Peter went memory lane to state how the events all began – he further stressed that it was the God of the Israelites, namely the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who glorified Jesus whom they handed over to be killed. Peter emphasised that these events happened in fulfilment of prophesies of old that the Christ would suffer and so enter his glory. This was the reason he insisted on the call to repentance to receive God’s forgiveness.
In the second reading (1 John 2:1-5), St. John charges us to stop sinning. He, however, stressed that if anyone commits sin, he has the opportunity to repent because we have an advocate with the father. The Apostle maintained that we must keep the commandments and accept the truth of the gospel noting that when we admit the truth that: “God’s love comes to perfection in us.”
The gospel of Luke (Lk. 24:35-48) records the appearances of Jesus to the Apostles on their way to Emmaus – how they recognised him at the breaking of the bread and how he appeared to the collage of Apostles with the greeting “Peace be with you” – How he showed them his hands and his feet; how their hearts were filed with joy and how he ate with them.
He opened their eyes to the scriptures and said: “So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” He maintained: “You are witnesses to this.”
Pastoral Lessons
1. Seek personal repentance: Our liturgical challenges us as individuals to seek personal repentance through an interior disposition to look the areas where we have disappointed ourselves, our neighbours and God and reform.
2. Embrace communal repentance: Various communities be they in the Church or secular society are equally reminded about the importance of the communal dimension of repentance which is meant to help pious societies, religious groups or villages seek genuine reconciliation with aggrieved partners – Masters should forgive their servants; parents their children; children their parents; pastors their congregants and vice versa.
3. Seek professional help: Rather than take to self-pity which sometimes leads to destructive tendencies like suicide, we are charged seek professional help when we feel that all is lost by approaching a counsellor to assist reconcile us to God.
4. Take to penance: For us Catholics, the importance of the Sacrament of reconciliation can never be overemphasised because it reconciles us with our neighbours and ultimately, God.
5. Pursue global peace: Amid the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the gospel reminds us that where there is repentance, forgiveness and peace, tension, strife, crises and wars would be minimised if not eliminated.
Summary Lines
1. In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, the early Christians were charged by St. Peter to repent and turn to God to have their sins forgiven.
2. In the second reading, St. John charges us to stop sinning.
3. He stressed that if anyone commits sin, he has the opportunity to repent because we have an advocate with the father.
4. The gospel of Luke records the appearances of Jesus to the Apostles on their way to Emmaus.
5. [It tells] how they recognised him at the breaking of the bread and how he appeared to the collage of Apostles with the greeting “Peace be with you.”
Conclusion
Beloved in Christ, as an alleluia people, we are charged to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth by living out the Christian values. Within that charge lies the call to repentance. Without repentance, there would be no forgiveness.
The Good News is that God has forgiven us off-front. This puts a mandate on us to forgive one another and also embrace total repentance. It is hoped that Christians would listen to the call of the gospel by putting personal, communal and sacramental forgiveness into practice. May God help us through Christ Our Lord. Amen!
